Business owners embrace DOT solution for Upward Road

By Nathaniel H. AxtellTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 7:56 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 7:56 p.m.

Business owners at Village Square Mall on Spartanburg Highway said Wednesday they're pleased with one solution the N.C. Department of Transportation has proposed to maintain customer access to their shopping center.

DOT officials gave the Henderson County Board of Commissioners an update Wednesday on their efforts to modify an Upward Road widening project so that it doesn't impede customers from turning left into the shopping center.

During a meeting this past May, several business owners told the board that a 520-foot-long concrete median planned in front of Village Square as part of the widening project's turn lane construction would deter customers. The board asked DOT engineers to look at possible alternatives.

On Wednesday, DOT District Engineer Steve Cannon told the board the redesign of the Upward Road project is "still a work in progress." He outlined several design options that would allow customers better access to the mall, one of which — called a "left-over" — gained support from the businesses.

A left-over is essentially a break in the median that would allow mall customers to turn left onto Mt. Airy Street and then right into the mall's shopping center.

"We still wouldn't be allowed to permit a left turn coming out of the property just because of traffic volumes," Cannon said.

Dan Focarino, owner of Negozio's Deli in the shopping center, said that was a small price to pay for better customer access. Joined by mall neighbor Katherine Clark of Rockfish Tattoo, he praised DOT officials and the commissioners for trying to address their concerns.

"These guys have been very accommodating," Focarino said, gesturing toward DOT officials. "I just felt that if it stayed the way it was, it would kill our shopping center."

Focarino was less enthused about an option that would build a "bulb-out" at the intersection of Upward Road and Spartanburg Highway to allow customers, including some delivery trucks, to make a U-turn so they can travel back to the shopping center.

"If you had to go to the light at Upward Road and Spartanburg Highway, I think that you'd have a major problem there because it's such a major intersection," he said. "In order to have people make a U-turn there, you've got people coming up Upward Road trying to make a right; to me that's a big safety issue as well."

DOT Division Engineer Joel Setzer told commissioners that the bulb out would be expensive to implement because it involves an existing traffic signal pole and a transmission line. He also said there are trade-offs to creating the proposed "left-over," the biggest of which is that one turn lane toward Upward Road would have to be shortened.

"By installing the leftover, you're shortening the storage in one of those lanes," Setzer said.

Within five years, that is projected to result in traffic backing up into the through lanes on Spartanburg Highway, he said. Altering the signal timing to favor left turn movements could help, Setzer said, but that just shifts congestion elsewhere.

Vice Chairman Bill O'Connor said that whatever solution is reached to help business owners, "we know what we've come up with is sort of a best-case design that is going to be temporary. We're going to have to come back and redo it. And all the disruptions that we're going to do this time, we're going to do again in five, six, eight years."

Setzer said if designers could change anything about the way they did the Upward Road project, it would have been "engaging businesses more up front."

Commissioner Charlie Messer asked Setzer what the timeline was for the Upward Road project.

"We've heard from a lot of people on that corridor there, and I guess a lot of people are still upset by the process on Upward Road," he said.

Setzer said they're hopeful they will get decisions about final designs for the intersection at Upward and Spartanburg Highway within the next month. Construction originally was scheduled to start this spring, but he said modifications could delay that.

<p>Business owners at Village Square Mall on Spartanburg Highway said Wednesday they're pleased with one solution the N.C. Department of Transportation has proposed to maintain customer access to their shopping center. </p><p>DOT officials gave the Henderson County Board of Commissioners an update Wednesday on their efforts to modify an Upward Road widening project so that it doesn't impede customers from turning left into the shopping center.</p><p>During a meeting this past May, several business owners told the board that a 520-foot-long concrete median planned in front of Village Square as part of the widening project's turn lane construction would deter customers. The board asked DOT engineers to look at possible alternatives. </p><p>On Wednesday, DOT District Engineer Steve Cannon told the board the redesign of the Upward Road project is "still a work in progress." He outlined several design options that would allow customers better access to the mall, one of which — called a "left-over" — gained support from the businesses. </p><p>A left-over is essentially a break in the median that would allow mall customers to turn left onto Mt. Airy Street and then right into the mall's shopping center. </p><p>"We still wouldn't be allowed to permit a left turn coming out of the property just because of traffic volumes," Cannon said.</p><p>Dan Focarino, owner of Negozio's Deli in the shopping center, said that was a small price to pay for better customer access. Joined by mall neighbor Katherine Clark of Rockfish Tattoo, he praised DOT officials and the commissioners for trying to address their concerns.</p><p>"These guys have been very accommodating," Focarino said, gesturing toward DOT officials. "I just felt that if it stayed the way it was, it would kill our shopping center."</p><p>Focarino was less enthused about an option that would build a "bulb-out" at the intersection of Upward Road and Spartanburg Highway to allow customers, including some delivery trucks, to make a U-turn so they can travel back to the shopping center.</p><p>"If you had to go to the light at Upward Road and Spartanburg Highway, I think that you'd have a major problem there because it's such a major intersection," he said. "In order to have people make a U-turn there, you've got people coming up Upward Road trying to make a right; to me that's a big safety issue as well."</p><p>DOT Division Engineer Joel Setzer told commissioners that the bulb out would be expensive to implement because it involves an existing traffic signal pole and a transmission line. He also said there are trade-offs to creating the proposed "left-over," the biggest of which is that one turn lane toward Upward Road would have to be shortened.</p><p>"By installing the leftover, you're shortening the storage in one of those lanes," Setzer said. </p><p>Within five years, that is projected to result in traffic backing up into the through lanes on Spartanburg Highway, he said. Altering the signal timing to favor left turn movements could help, Setzer said, but that just shifts congestion elsewhere.</p><p>Vice Chairman Bill O'Connor said that whatever solution is reached to help business owners, "we know what we've come up with is sort of a best-case design that is going to be temporary. We're going to have to come back and redo it. And all the disruptions that we're going to do this time, we're going to do again in five, six, eight years."</p><p>Setzer said if designers could change anything about the way they did the Upward Road project, it would have been "engaging businesses more up front."</p><p>Commissioner Charlie Messer asked Setzer what the timeline was for the Upward Road project. </p><p>"We've heard from a lot of people on that corridor there, and I guess a lot of people are still upset by the process on Upward Road," he said. </p><p>Setzer said they're hopeful they will get decisions about final designs for the intersection at Upward and Spartanburg Highway within the next month. Construction originally was scheduled to start this spring, but he said modifications could delay that.</p>